Hypercausis treatment strategies? (pink noise, CBT, hypercausis therapy, desensitization)
Im currently suffering from anxiety and depression due to hearing loss
On August 23, I suffered from sudden left side mild to moderate hearing loss sloping 25db at 4000 to 45db at 8000
Since then, I had taken prednisone and intratympanic steroid injection
Since the shots, I started suffering from tinnitus, hypercausis, and panic attacks
As well as facial numbness, off balance, waves of confusion, brain fog
Because of this, I’m now struggling with anxiety and depression
The ENT recommended I get an MRI to rule out acoustic neuroma
Aside from that, my hearing remained the same. The doctor said it’s “unlikely to change” and claimed the sound sensitivity and tinnitus will lessen over time
However, I tried to desentesize myself and quickly learned about noise bandwidths and setbacks
I also learned about the different kinds of hypercausis and have a strong feeling that I have pain hypercausis / noxacusis, after my hearing got more sensitive to sound after attempting to desentize
Toilets, faucets, and showers were once painful and became tolerable after a month of quiet. Then outside sounds became tolerable. But then after spending the day outside and hearing the screeches of my 1 year old nephew, now TVs and phones started to hurt and I’m back to square one.
Ive read about a few strategies that people have tried to cure/heal their hypercausis:
(many from success stories, some from ongoing healing journey)
- desensitize through podcasts during sleep (even if barely audible)
- 8 hour pink noise everyday for 12 months (only saw improvement after 6 months)
- managing their mental health through vitamins (omega 3, vitamin d, b12, fish oil, CoQ10), exercise, breath work exercise, mediation
- CBT therapy
- hypercausis therapy
- avoiding earplugs unless it’s loud (construction, babies, car traffic, restaurant, bars, concerts, anything over 60db)
- avoiding setbacks
- doing everything with BABY steps, gradually and slowly over time (20-30 exposure min a day)
- learn to not fear the sounds, fight through mild discomforts. But avoid if things feel too sharp and make you feel tense
- Carbamazepine or clomiparine - but I read that the side effects tend to cause self harm and suicidal thoughts. Which would be a struggle since I already struggle with depression. Or is there a way to counter this?